The problems will come in balancing this vis-a-vis the melee/ranged dichotomy. (Then again, Lightning Strike and big AoEs are already a problem on this score.) If we had dedicated throwing weapons, their stats could be balanced accordingly.

Very cool idea, would really like to use this with some crazy LMP, point blank combos!

But why 2 projectiles per cast? Also, shouldnt there be a reduced damage mod for 2h melee since they will do a lot more damage than 1h with (reduced, not less, so you can overcome it with a few more passives) sort of thing like cleave does but for 2h, when it levels you overcome the downside for 2h at some point

I like the idea of going to pick it back up but if it were to be a projectile that can be affected by Lesser/Greater Multiple Projectiles then the situation becomes kind of complicated. that's why with my version it's a replicated, ethereal version of the actual weapon you're using. I'll write another one up that uses your idea though, because it's a pretty cool alternative.

The problems will come in balancing this vis-a-vis the melee/ranged dichotomy. (Then again, Lightning Strike and big AoEs are already a problem on this score.) If we had dedicated throwing weapons, their stats could be balanced accordingly.

Really all I think would be needed is well tweaked damage and speed modifiers, though of course there may be other problems I'm not thinking of. I'll keep your points in mind.

Very cool idea, would really like to use this with some crazy LMP, point blank combos!

But why 2 projectiles per cast? Also, shouldnt there be a reduced damage mod for 2h melee since they will do a lot more damage than 1h with (reduced, not less, so you can overcome it with a few more passives) sort of thing like cleave does but for 2h, when it levels you overcome the downside for 2h at some point

I wrote the "1 additional projectile" modifier because at the time I thought that was the standard when adding projectiles to a melee attack, but I checked Lightning Strike and it only says 2. I'll change the first post.

And I'm not really sure about more damage modifiers. It's not to say I don't agree, I just don't know what the best way to balance it would be.

I quite like the idea with the boomerang effect, and it would help make it different than ranged/spells and could lead to a lot of fun with something like Lightning Warp or Flicker Strike.

I think it would be better if they moved slower if they were to boomerang and pierce.

The basic idea I thought of is throwing them out, with lmp or gmp and using a movement ability to change the direction they move. So in theory if you move fast enough you can cast once and have them trailing after you, while doing damage as you flit through waves of mobs. Maybe that could be a blade-weapon effect only though. While blunt ones have a more concussive effect and claws work like shuriken as you said.

It just seems neat, because then you could focus on positioning and movement rather than holding down the right mouse button in the monster's general direction.

But besides my late-night rambling ideas, I really like the concept you came up with! Though I would still dearly love to have spears and proper halberds...

Thanks! Polearms really should come about at some point. I'm pretty sure there was a developer post stating that they do think they'll add more weapon types in the future, and spears/javelins are probably the most demanded of the ones we don't already have.

Nice to know someone else would love if there was a boomerang kind of attack. I also like the movement ideas you came up with. It would make available a kind of gameplay somewhat like Searing Bond's, which is pretty cool.

I can imagine slowing the projectile speed down somehow and outrunning the thrown weapon, letting it chase you, hitting monsters you pass. The problem with it is how difficult it might be to implement such a feature, especially with weapon-specific effects.

It probably would be harder to work out, but I liked the idea a lot. I only threw out the weapon-specific effects because it would seem strange for a giant, spectral hammer to slice through packs of monsters.

Maybe the weapon type is just modeled after an existing ability? Blades could be whirling blades for the pierce-effect, maces after heavy strike. I feel like shuriken-claws would be neat with one like Fork, even if it makes no practical sense.

I'm going to see if I didn't vendor my Searing Bond gem and try this out a little on my flicker striker...